Of Costumes, Kickball, and the Common Cold
by littlefishbigpond81
Summary: When a world-renowned costume maker is hired to work at Condor Studios, Sonny and Chad go waaay out of their way to get to work with this famous person. But will their contest reveal a little too much? Channy!
1. A Hitch in the Plan

**A/N: Hi guys! Omigosh, I am so excited! This is my first ever fanfic to be published! I can't even type, I'm that happy! I'm pretty nervous, though. Who knows how many people will read my fic, or think its pretty good? :) :) Anyways, this is just a two-shot (or it might be more, not sure yet) that I threw together this afternoon about typical Channy, but hopefully its not terribly unoriginal.. Well, I'll stop freaking out and let you read! :)**

"Mr. Condor, _So Random! _needs Jean-Claude more. Believe me sir, we do." Sonny wiped a strand of hair out of her face and stared hard at the owner of her studio, breathing deeply. She'd ran and gotten to Marshall's office a minute earlier after she'd gotten a text from Tawni saying that Jean-Claude, a world famous costumier, had taken been hired to create the costumes for a few weeks on _So Random!_ However, Mr. Condor was in Marshall's office at the moment, discussing with the cast how there had been a hitch in the plans.

"But, sir, with all honesty, they don't need a costumier like Jean-Claude," Chad said, head held high with an air of snooty-ness that Sonny couldn't stand but couldn't look away from. "_We_ do."

Of course, _Mackenzie Falls_'s executive producer heard about Jean-Claude's arrival, and sent Chad to negotiate with Mr. Condor about getting Jean-Claude on their show. As if _Mackenzie Falls _had a need for multiple costumes; all they ever wear on that show is prep school outfits! But Sonny wasn't going to let Chad's somewhat cute determination distract her. It was up to her and her fellow cast members to get Jean-Claude for their show!

"Give us a break, Chad! What could _Mackenzie Falls_ possibly need more of?" Sonny asked pointedly, as two costume makers bustled in quickly to take Chad's measurements.

"Oh, I don't know. More writers, more caterers, and more good costume makers!" Chad replied, waving the two ladies away.

"Puh-lease," Tawni scoffed, eyeing her manicure. "It's not like you need lots of costumes, anyway. I mean, all you wear are those _hideous_ snooty-booty uniforms."

Chad shot her a glare and turned back to Mr. Condor. "Regardless of what we currently wear, if Jean-Claude were to create costumes on _our_ show, think of all the exposure your studio could get," Chad gushed, totally milking his talents and acting like he could see the future. "Can't you see it?" He waved his hand in front of Mr. Condor's face, as if painting the picture of publicity. "I mean, you couldn't get that kind of hype off of a comedy," he spat.

Everyone in the room other than Mr. Condor glowered at Chad, who put his hands up defensively. "What?"

"You _know_ what, Chad. You just wanna get your own way," Sonny answered defiantly, crossing her arms. "Well, it's not gonna happen this time. Right, Mr. Condor?" Though she wasn't sure of how she really thought of Chad, Sonny was not going to let her feelings get in the way of business and hand him the satisfaction of winning. Again.

"Ehhh… I'm not too sure," he responded. "Normally, I would be. But, Chad puts up a good argument."

Chad took this opportunity to smirk at Sonny, to which she gasped and angrily stepped on his toe.

"I think this would be settled better if your two shows figure it out on your own," Mr. Condor suggested. "A good life lesson, right? However, I'll need your solution in three days. But don't take this all so seriously. Jean-Claude is a very –" He was cut off by his cell phone ringing. "I should get this. Well, anyway, good luck. And remember," he bellowed as he walked out the door. "Three days!"

-~:~-

The whole _So Random!_ cast sat in the commissary later that day, miserably picking at their, well, gross food. Everyone was still trying to figure out how on earth they were going to convince the _Falls_ cast that they need Jean-Claude for their show more.

"But what really sucks about it all is that he was supposed to work for _us_ first!" Nico complained.

"I know! We need new costumes almost every week, and the stupid _Falls_ people don't!" Grady agreed.

"They will once I burn them! I mean, plaid? Seriously? Sooo fall," Tawni commented.

"Yeah, I'll help you," Zora sighed. For some reason, she was taking the situation the hardest.

"Aww, Zora, you really, truly want Jean-Claude to work for us, don't you!" Sonny cried, hugging Zora across the table.

"Well, yeah! If he's always at _Mackenzie Falls_, how am I ever going to find out if his toupee will fly as far as the turkey does on my cold-cut catapult?"

"…Oh. Right. Of course that's disappointing," Sonny insisted sarcastically. "But you guys, we can't just sit around and mope! We have to think about how to make them cave and let us have Jean-Claude!"

"Sonny, we all know that there's no way they'll ever cave. They're just too competitive to let us win," Nico lamented.

"And even if they did let us have Jean-Claude, they'd get us back somehow," Grady added.

Sonny thought about this for a moment. What was one thing that she, Tawni, Nico, Grady, and Zora had on Chad and his stooges? Brains? Well, yeah, but they couldn't play the "smart" card, because Chad was sure to pay someone to get them on _that_ level. Talent? Duh. However, theirs was comedic talent, while Chad and the rest of them were only gifted in drama. Looks? Well, no. No one on Sonny's show could beat Chad's gorgeous blond hair, or his sparkly, deep blue eyes, or his adorable dimples, or –

"Sonny? What's with the look?" Tawni snapped her fingers in front of Sonny's eyes. She jumped a little, answered "Sorry," softly to Tawni, and returned to her thoughts. How could they beat the _Falls_?

Then it came to her. All of Tawni's physical flexibility on _Gotcha!_. Grady's amazing bowling techniques at the bowling alley. Nico jumping over benches and tables like hurdles outside the commissary when everyone was bored. Zora pelting snowballs at the _Falls_ cast after the singular snowstorm Los Angles had the past winter. And all those years of softball back in Wisconsin that Sonny had suffered through for Lucy.

"That's IT!" Sonny cried

"AHH!" screamed Tawni.

"Whoa!" Nico and Grady yelled.

"Earthquake!" screeched Zora as she ducked under the table.

"No, you guys… Seriously! We'll have a game of kickball!"

The whole table was silent. Sonny was getting incredulous looks from everyone except for Zora, who hissed, "Yesssss…"

"What?" Grady asked.

"Honestly, Sonny, are you out of your mind?" snapped Tawni.

"Is that the best idea you've got?" Nico questioned hesitantly.

"Just listen," Sonny pleaded, and then told them her reasoning for why they should have a kickball game. "I mean, like you said, they're all super competitive. Besides, when have you actually seen them exercising in your life?"

"That's true, I guess," Nico agreed.

"But won't they just pay, oh I don't know, the Dodgers or someone to play for them instead?" asked Tawni.

"They can't. We'll make them sign a contract or something. But it'll work, I know it!" promised Sonny. She was beaming on the outside and the inside. She couldn't wait to show up Chad, who was probably trying to figure out a way to make them cave. Sonny wouldn't. She just couldn't fall for his charm again. No matter how much she wanted to.

"We have to intimidate them though. Somehow, we need to make them feel like they can't win, and then they won't," Grady suggested

"I know!" piped up Zora. "We can – "

"No cannonballs, Zora."

"But – "

"No!" everyone exclaimed.

"How about we have it in the dark?" Tawni nonchalantly put in.

"Wow. Is that really your idea of intimidation?" Nico asked.

"Well, it's not like we're gonna hire the Mafia or something," Tawni retorted.

"No, it's a good idea. And for the time being, all we have to work with," Sonny assented.

"Wait, 'all you have to work with'? What's that? Crappy costumes?" came a sneering voice from behind Sonny's shoulder.

Sonny could feel her lip curl on instinct and turned her chair around, careful to hit the girl behind her. "Portlyn," she snapped.

"Sonny," Portlyn snapped back.

"Portlyn! In formation!" called someone from behind the mob of plaid-clad teenagers Portlyn had lead into the commissary. Out stepped the owner of the voice, the last (but really, first) person Sonny wanted to see.

"Hi, Chad," Sonny sighed, softening her expression a little.

"Hey Sonny," Chad replied, giving her a lopsided smile that made her legs feel like jelly and her face heat up. Why did he always have to do that to her? Sonny was sure that he knew he had that affect on her, and just liked to see her reaction over and over again.

"So, uh, you told your cast about Jean-Claude, huh?"

"No, Michael did," he explained, referring to his show's executive producer. "But really, between you and me, they could care less," he whispered. "Michael just wants the privilege to work near Jean-Claude, and we all just wanna beat you guys." He leaned in closer to Sonny, and she could feel his breath on her collarbone. "Don't take it personally."

"Well," Sonny said, leaning back in her chair to get away from Chad, "We've come up with a solution to this dilemma."

"Alright, let's hear it then," Chad countered. He loved it when Sonny had those cute little ideas of hers. She was always so determined, and it was adorable. Not that he'd ever tell her that.

"Um, we just have to get the contract written up. Then you can read it, sign it, whatever," Tawni said.

"Contract?" Chad asked, confused. "Sonny, you know I don't sign contracts without my lawyer present."

"Then, Chad?" Sonny said as she stood up and moved in close to Chad, their torsos almost touching. Chad could have reached out, pulled her close to him and started kissing her right then.

"Yeah?" Chad asked, his voice cracking.

"…Call your lawyer." She turned from him, but not without a smirk, and left the commissary, followed by her cast-mates.

**A/N: Well, if you could review, that would be awesome! I would be hypocritical in saying that you HAVE to review every fic you read, so don't feel obligated to, of course... Anyways, thanks for reading!**


	2. Cold Feet

**A/N: Wow! I did _not_ expect this many reviews after one chapter! Thanks to all who read, alerted, or favorited me or my story, and also thanks to Joker236, ****moonlightxwitch, it'sapartyintheUK, ****Ruby Rememberance, and ****Katia11 for reviewing! All of your reviews really made my day, and I really appreciate your feedback! **

**Here's chapter 2 of "Of Costumes, Kickball, and the Common Cold"!**

Sonny sat on the wooden bench beside the baseball diamond, waiting for the _Mackenzie Falls_ cast to arrive. Thankfully, Chad and the rest of his cast had signed the kickball contract the day before. However, it hadn't gone as smoothly as it could have. A fight broke out between Tawni and Portlyn over who was the better dancer, Chloe and Zora got in a fight about whether kickball or volleyball was a better sport, and Nico almost punched Trevor in the face. Luckily, Murphy and some other security members held back the two casts so everyone could sign and be on their way.

Sonny felt guilty about the fighting, though. She hadn't meant for the kickball game to be such a huge deal. All she wanted was to prove to Chad and the rest of _Mackenzie Falls_ that _So Random!_ was worthy of a famous costumier, too. And, _maybe _she wanted to get a chance to see Chad playing kickball. Maybe.

"Sonny, why on earth did we choose this dump to play at?" Tawni complained loudly in Sonny's ear. "I mean, there aren't even bathrooms. That is so gross!"

"Tawni, we passed a porta-potty on our way in here," said Zora, who was tossing the big red rubber ball Grady had brought with Nico and Grady in the baseball diamond.

"Ewwww! Zora, don't even talk about those things! They're, like, human-waste swamps!" Sonny just rolled her eyes, and went to go join Zora on the pitcher's mound.

"Where are they?" she asked, whipping out her phone to check what time it was for the fifth time. "I mean, we told them the exact time to be here. Besides, how hard is it to find _the only_ run-down baseball diamond in outer Los Angeles?" She huffed and crossed her arms.

"Hey, you guys," Tawni said from over at the bench, squinting from the harsh fluorescent beams of the giant, industrial sized lights overhead. "They're here."

Sure enough, five people were struggling to climb over the metal fence. Grady kindly went over to the fence door and opened it for them, without getting a thank-you in return.

"Yo, Randoms. What up?" Chad said with a cocky jerk of his head. Sonny glared at him, and he sent a smirk her way. "What's the matter, Munroe? Getting prepared to lose?"

Sonny scoffed, though she felt a tingle go through her body at the sight of his dumb dimples, and turned on her heel. "Team Random! Group huddle!" She wasn't about to let Chad's charming ways and ridiculing remarks get to her. She had a game to win for her show.

"Uh, Team Mackenzie Falls! Group, uh, whatever," Chad said, faltering to keep up with Sonny's team spirit.

Once everyone was in a huddle, Sonny started her pep talk. "Okay, you guys. We are _not_ going to let them win, with their cocky smiles and preppy uniforms. This game is _our_ game! Grady, you're the best kickball pitcher I've ever seen," Sonny lauded.

"Aw, shucks," Grady said with a sheepish smile.

"And Nico, you can run faster than anyone I've ever seen!"

"Oh, stop it!" Nico grinned.

"Zora, you've got a great arm and great aim, and Tawni, your high-kicks could send that ball flying! What I'm trying to say is that we have a great team for this, and we are soooo gonna kick some _Mackenzie Falls_ butt!"

"Yeah!" everyone chorused. There was determination in the air, and Sonny couldn't wait to see the look on Chad's face when Team Random won.

-~:~-

"Batter UP!" Zora yelled as Umpire/Catcher. Penelope stepped up to the plate, crouching over it like it was her territory, getting ready to kick the ball. Her feet were bare, as were the rest of her team's feet, but that didn't stop her from getting ready to strike.

It was the last inning (Nico suggested they only go to 7 innings so that the game didn't go on forever), and the score was 5-5. It had been a rough game, with a lot of bruises, a few cuts, and many swollen feet on Team Mackenzie Falls. All of them had worn either leather dress shoes or pumps to the field, not knowing that their shoes would get dirty. So, as per order of the contract, to play regardless of the conditions, they all removed their shoes and smacked the ball with bare feet. But, surprisingly, Team Mackenzie Falls played fairly well, considering none of them knew how to play. They had a few good kickers and a few good arms, but none of them surpassed any of Team Random's talent.

The count was three balls, two strikes with no one on base and two outs in the top half of the inning. If Penelope got a strike, it would be Team Random's last chance of winning. The teams had mutually decided that if there was a tie, they would go into extra innings to settle the score. No one wanted to leave the field without knowing who got Jean-Claude.

"Hey, batter batter batter, heeyyy, batter batter batter!" Nico called from second base.

"Nico, that's not funny," said Tawni, who was playing with her hair.

"Nico, stop with the taunting. Tawni, pay attention," Sonny amended. She was on first base, and was in a ready position to catch the ball.

From Team Mackenzie Falls' dugout, Chad was watching the game intently. He had every intention to win this game, because if Chad was able to secure Jean-Claude for _Mackenzie Falls_, he would be able to show not only everyone who knew about this game and about his lifestyle, but also himself, that Chad Dylan Cooper was not a pretty boy who couldn't do anything productive! And, if they won, it wouldn't hurt to be able to rub something in the Randoms' faces. But not Sonny. No, he wouldn't want to hurt her like that.

"Come on, Penelope! Concentrate! You can do it!" he yelled supportively.

Grady pitched the ball with perfect accuracy towards Zora's grasp. Penelope swung her foot… and missed.

"NOOO!!!!" Chad yelled. "You should have kicked it! Why didn't you… ughhh!!!" he exclaimed. He was furious! If they lost, Chad was sure that the Randoms' would rub it in _his_ face for the rest of his life! Chad Dylan Cooper did _not_ get teased or taunted!

Team Random ran in from the outfield, giving each other high-fives, as Sonny went up to the plate. Chad was Umpire/Catcher, and decided he'd ruffle up Sonny's feathers a little bit, just to see her reaction.

"Nice inning, Munroe," he said slyly.

"Thanks, Chad," Sonny replied, taking a few practice swings while Team Mackenzie Falls got organized.

"Yeah, I thought you weren't gonna catch that one pop fly, you know the one? But you did, and I was impressed." He gave her a lopsided smile that made her face flush.

"Wow, Chad. Thanks." Trevor, who was out on the pitcher's mound, nodded to Chad.

"Batter UP!" Chad yelled from behind Sonny.

"Well, good luck, Chad. I hope you guys had a good time, and I'm glad you didn't get cold feet and chicken out," Sonny said sincerely.

Chad chuckled. "Oh, Sonny."

"What?" she asked, suddenly nervous.

"… I _did_ get cold feet."

-~:~-

The game ended with a homer made by Tawni, who brought herself, Sonny and Grady home, resulting with a winning score of 8-5 for Team Random. There were plenty of pouty faces from Team Mackenzie Falls, but Team Random decided that they wouldn't gloat. At least, not while the other's loss was so recent.

On the ride back to her apartment with her mom, all Sonny could think of was the look on Chad's face as she rounded third and ran home. His expression had been a mixture of disappointment, but also of being amused impressed. Of course, she'd made sure to let him know that they had played a great game and that she appreciated his cooperation and all that, but the way that he acted at the end seemed like he was upset that he didn't win, but was also amused with the game and, well, her. Sonny didn't know how to feel about that.

As Chad drove back to his dad's house in Beverly Hills, all he could think about was the cute way Sonny got confused at the end of the game when she ran to home. He must not have hidden his amusement with her determination too well. _Whatever_, he thought. _What's the harm in her knowing that I think it's adorable when she gets caught up in the moment?_ But deep down, wondering if Sonny knew about how he felt about one small thing about her scared him. Chad Dylan Cooper was _not_ predictable, and Chad Dylan Cooper did _not_ wear his heart on his sleeve. Most of the time.

**A/N: Thanks so much for reading! As I said last chapter, please do _not_ feel obligated to review... I totally understand if you don't, because I don't review every fic I read, either... :)**


	3. Motherly Instincts

**A/N: I feel so bad! I was going to update Thursday, and then I was going to update Friday, and things just kept getting in the way! So, here's my apology chapter, along with another chapter, since this one was getting pretty lengthy :) Yay! Who doesn't love two chapters in one day? Anyways, thanks again to it'sapartyintheUK, Katia11 and Joker236 for reviewing last chapter, and thank you to all who have been reading this fic!**

Chad woke up the next morning, trying to cling to the dream he'd just had. In the dream, he had just won Best Teen Actor in the World at a very prestigious award ceremony for actors. Sonny had been in his dream at the ceremony, congratulating him on his wonderful accomplishment, gushing over how amazing he was at acting, and marveling over how absolutely gorgeous he was. At the end of his dream, he had brought Sonny back to his huge castle on a white stallion, and was just about to tell her something important when he woke up in a coughing fit.

Wait. A coughing fit? Chad Dylan Cooper did_ not_ have coughing fits. Maybe the occasional clearing of the throat, or a little cough if he swallowed something the wrong way. But never a coughing fit, because coughing fits meant illness, and Chad had never been sick in his life. It just wasn't something he let happen to himself. He watched what he ate, always made sure his hands were sanitized, and never ever came in contact with sick people.

Something, however, was noticeably wrong with Chad this morning. As soon as he got out of his bed and went into his bathroom, he turned on the lights, and immediately got a pounding headache. _What in the world?_ he thought. Gazing into the mirror, Chad soon got a horrible surprise – he had bags under his eyes! _How did _that_ happen? I got my beauty sleep last night!_ His face looked paler than usual, and he started sniffling.

_No. This is not happening to me. I am not getting sick. I am not getting sick. I am not getting sick._ Chad got dressed in the usual way, preppy shoes and all, fixed his hair, brushed his teeth, and went downstairs to grab a granola bar for breakfast and head to _Mackenzie Falls_. Eyeing an orange in the fruit bowl on the counter, he thought, _There's nothing wrong with a little Vitamin C, is there?_ He grabbed one, then, just to be on the safe side, grabbed another.

-~:~-

Sonny sat in the waiting room outside of Mr. Condor's office. She had the master copy of the contract sitting on her lap, getting bounced around by her nervous legs. It was her job to tell Mr. Condor which show was going to get to work with Jean-Claude, but the very thought of talking to the man who owned _So Random!_ frightened her more than airplanes, or spiders, or earthquakes.

Mr. Condor's secretary was sitting behind her desk, talking to her boss on the phone. She was a petite woman, in her late twenties maybe, and she looked really bored with her job. She also had a great accent that Sonny tucked away in the back of her mind to use on a sketch sometime.

Hanging up the phone, the secretary said to Sonny, "I'm afraid Mr. Condor won't be coming in until later today. If you'd like, you can drop the papers off with me and I'll give them to him." Sonny noticed how bored the secretary was by the way she drew out every word she said.

"No, that's okay. I'll just catch him later. Thanks anyway," she replied, eager to leave the (terrifying!) office and get ready for the rest of her workday. She closed the door as she left, and practically flew to _So Random!_

Tawni was seated on a stool in their shared dressing room, sketching what looked to be clothes on a pad of paper on her easel when Sonny walked in. Tawni looked oddly thoughtful as she added some color to a collar, a belt to a blouse, or a flower to a hat. By the looks of it, she had already created four or five designs, and Sonny was impressed.

"Oh my goodness, Tawni!" Sonny exclaimed, closing the dressing room door behind her and setting her papers and purse on a chair. "Those designs are amazing! I didn't know you wanted to be a fashion designer."

Tawni twisted around to face Sonny for a second to say, "I didn't, either." Turning back to her easel, she continued, "I figured if we got to work with Jean-Claude for a few weeks, then maybe he'd consider making a clothing line with me. Maybe we can sell it to Chanel or Yves Saint Laurent!"

"That's a great dream, Tawni!" Sonny encouraged excitedly. She crossed the room to her desk and began to study her script.

After a few moments, Tawni's great blonde head popped out from behind her easel and stared at Sonny. "Wait, what do you mean, 'dream'?"

"I – "

"You don't think I could make it in the fashion industry, do you?"

"Tawni, that's not what I – "

"Don't make excuses, Munroe! I know you're just trying to beat my dreams to the floor to build your perky little Wisconsin dreams up! Well, it's not going to work!" Tawni threw her pencils on the carpet and ran frantically from the room as Sonny stared on, completely and utterly shocked. She had _not_ expected an outburst like that at all. Zora, who had entered the dressing room as Tawni began her rant, shook her head and plopped on Tawni's yellow-fur lounge chair.

"What was that about?" Sonny asked Zora, who was reading a copy of _Tween Weekly_.

"Oh, Tawni's still upset about her Skinny Pants disaster. I suppose taking another venture into the fashion world could be quite traumatic for someone who tried to make it before and failed," Zora explained nonchalantly.

_Right_, Sonny thought. With that, she turned back to her script.

-~:~-

After a very successful run-through of that night's show, Sonny, Zora, Nico, Grady, and Tawni went to the commissary to get a well-deserved lunch. Not that they would be able to find much edible food, but they would take what they could get.

As the group walked into the commissary, laughing at a joke Zora had just told, Sonny noticed that _Mackenzie Falls_ was also having their lunch right now. Not that it took much for her to notice them. Her Chad Radar was always on.

Sonny went to the lunch counter with her friends, tried (and failed) to get some decent food for lunch, and walked away with a plate of, well, she didn't really know. Passing the _Mackenzie Falls_ table, however, Sonny could tell that none of them looked very good. Some had extremely pale faces, some were blowing their noses, and some were popping pills for a headache. However, Chloe, Penelope, Portly, and Trevor combined did not look as bad as Chad. He wasn't touching his plate of filet mignon (which was making Sonny's mouth water), had all the symptoms of a common cold that the others did, and occasionally barked out a cough that sounded like a seal. It made Sonny sad to see Chad so miserable, and she couldn't remember a time when she'd ever seen him sick. As they all sat down at their usual table, it occurred to her that maybe he was one of those people who "just didn't get sick," which would mean that this was rough for him and he didn't know what to do. For a fleeting moment, Sonny had a picture in her head of her taking care him, bringing him home to her mom so she could give him the right medicine and nurse him back to health. But Sonny shook the image from her mind. That would never happen.

"…don't you think, Sonny?" Grady asked suddenly. Sonny was dazed and had no idea what to say.

"Um, what?" she asked sweetly, trying to act as innocent as possible, though she wasn't guilty of anything except for imagining Chad lying on her couch.

"We were just thinking of ways to rub it in the _Falls_' faces that we get Jean-Claude and they don't… How about we send them a cake saying something like, "Congratulations on Winning Jean-Claude for Your Show!", then send someone over to their set asking if they've seen a cake that Mr. Condor said he sent to us, and take it from them!" Nico explained eagerly, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Well, that wouldn't be very nice," Sonny insisted.

"Exactly!" Zora said.

"So, we should do it?" Grady asked.

"I have a bakery on speed-dial," Tawni commented. Everyone stared at her. "What?" she asked. "Sometimes I just _need_ a chocolate-chip cookie!"

"No, I don't think it's a good idea. That would hurt their feelings!" Sonny argued.

"They hurt our feelings all the time!" Nico complained.

"Whatever," Sonny replied, giving up. "But don't come crying to me when you've all got guilty consciences." She brought her eyes to the _Mackenzie Falls_ table, and, embarrassingly, her gaze caught Chad's. He held it for a long moment, and then she turned away, feeling the heat rise up in her cheeks. Though Chad's eyes had been half open from fatigue, his stare was still intense and made her feel like she was the only person he saw. Sonny turned back to her plate and didn't talk or look up for the rest of lunch.

-~:~-

After lunch, the cast of _So Random!_ had to be on set for a few notes, another run-through, and then a dress rehearsal for that night's show. Sonny half-listened to the director's and Marshall's comments, distracted by thoughts of Chad being sick, and then got ready for the run-through. She was backstage when she remembered the basket she was supposed to hit Nico and Grady with was in the Prop House, where she'd put it before lunch. She told Marshall she'd back quickly without disturbing the run-through, and bolted to the Prop House.

Flinging open the doors, she looked around frantically for the basket. She found it on a table, and was about to leave when she heard a small voice say, "Sonny?"

She stopped, frozen in her tracks, and searched around the room for the source of the voice. When she found it, she was totally surprised.

Chad Dylan Cooper lay on the couch, looking up at Sonny with a confused expression. He looked like he'd just woken up from a nap, and Sonny blinked rapidly to try and understand the picture before her.

"Chad, why are you on our couch? In our Prop House?"

Chad chuckled dryly, and replied, "Sonny, you are so cute when you're confused." This compliment flustered Sonny, and she almost stamped her foot before retorting, "Look, Chad, I've got somewhere I've got to be. So, if you don't have an explanation, I'll be leaving now."

"No, wait!" Chad said, a little too eagerly, sitting up on the couch. "I'll tell you. Just don't leave me."

The sound of Chad's voice as he said those last four words drove Sonny's brain crazy. This was because she'd always imagined him saying something to her that tenderly, and she never thought he ever would. It was also because she knew, deep down inside her heart, that she would never ever leave him.

She sat down next to him on the couch, making sure to leave some room as to not seem desperate for him, and listened to his story.

"I was walking back from the commissary after lunch, and was going to drop in on you in your dressing room, when my steak started, well, coming up, and I was in this hallway, so I just barged in and, well." He showed Sonny the contents of the wastebasket that had been next to the couch, and she put her hand over her mouth and nose. It smelled disgusting, and Sonny was about to puke into it when Chad pulled it away.

"Sorry," he muttered, barely louder than a whisper. "I felt horrible afterwards, so I just laid down and slept. What time is it?"

"Um, a little after six-thirty," Sonny answered.

"Crap, I was supposed to be on set a half-hour ago," Chad sighed. "Oh well. They'll just have to think I'm pulling another 'diva stunt.'" He slumped down into his former position on the couch, careful not to hit Sonny with his feet.

"Do you mind if I sleep here again?" he asked, his big blue eyes gleaming up at Sonny with what looked like sadness and exhaustion.

"Of course you can," she insisted. "Can I get you anything? Water? Something to eat?" Sonny was surprised that Chad wasn't trying to be charming or flirty or anything with her. But he was _still_ charming her with his politeness, and if her motherly instincts hadn't taken over, she would have stayed with him and let him charm her into oblivion.

"Um, water would be nice," Chad admitted. A shiver rocked through his body, and he closed his eyes. "Thanks, Sonny." Opening his eyes the tiniest bit, he continued, "I mean it. I don't think anyone else here would have done this for me."

Just then, an obnoxiously loud voice came over the intercom saying, "Sonny Munroe to the set of _So Random!_ please, Sonny Munroe to the set of _So Random!_"

"You should go," Chad whispered, a tiny smile on his peaceful face.

"I'll be back, I promise." Sonny searched around for a blanket, and once she found one, laid it on top of Chad. With one last look at him, she slipped through the Prop House door.

**A/N: I hope you liked it! If you want to review, that's great and I'll really appreciate it! If not, that's okay too. My feelings won't be hurt :)**


	4. Finally

**A/N: So, I lied. Technically, it's Monday, and, like last time, stuff just kept getting in the way today. I wish that I'd been able to post this earlier, but I only _just_ finished this chapter... It's not long, but the end might seem rushed - if it is, tell me, and next time around, I will definitely make sure that I don't rush endings again! Thanks to everyone who read, and especially to EllietheDisneyfreak, Joker236, channylover24, RaNdOm GiRl 2014, SonnyChadFan, and penguincrazy for reviewing! Six reviews for one chapter! Thank you all so much!**

The run-through seemed to take forever for Sonny. Each sketch just took longer and longer, and she though she knew she had to be here, she so desperately wanted to get back to Chad. However, she couldn't just go up to Marshall and say, "I need to leave the set so I can take care of Chad, star of _Mackenzie Falls_, our rival show." No, that probably wouldn't be a good idea. Instead, Sonny just endured every minute until the director cried, "And, cut! Good run-through, everyone!" Finally, Sonny could concentrate on Chad.

Sonny ran everywhere, looking for a cup of water with ice for him. First, she went to her dressing room. It took her two seconds to realize that her dressing room was a pretty irrational place to look for water and ice, and then she rushed to the commissary, which was dark and eerie. Sonny stumbled around, looking in cabinets and on the counters for a glass. Once she found one, she filled it up with some ice and water, and practically ran to the Prop House, carefully watching the water all the way.

When she opened the door, she found Chad sitting up, watching the television. He saw her and smiled. Handing him the glass, she said, "Sorry I didn't come back sooner."

"That's okay, I was sleeping. Wouldn't have been fun for you, anyways." He turned off the T.V. and turned to face Sonny, who sat in the chair adjacent to the couch. Though he tried to hide it, he was really grateful that Sonny had gotten him the water and the blanket. It was so sweet of her to do that, and she looked really cute running around for him. Not that he'd ever ask her to. That would be _really_ bad, using her for his needs.

"So, are you feeling better?" she asked.

"Yeah, a little. I have no idea how I got this stupid cold, though. I was fine when I got back from the game last night."

"I think I might know," Sonny said. "You were all playing without shoes on last night. I don't know why, but that can make a person sick sometimes."

"Oh." Chad felt so stupid. How come _he_ didn't think of that?

"Yeah, but it should go away pretty quick, so you'll be back to normal in a few days."

How did she mean "back to normal"? Even Chad had noticed his lack of general charm and flirtiness with her since becoming sick, and thought that maybe Sonny wanted him to flirt with her again. He _knew_ that he wanted to flirt with her, but wasn't sure if he had the energy for banter. Maybe he should try, just for practice.

"Good, then maybe we can get back to arguing. Our 'sessions' are the best part of my day."

At the word "sessions," Sonny's face flushed. Whenever she thought of a "session" with Chad, she'd always thought that it would be a make-out session, and thinking about those sorts of things with Chad sitting _thisclose_ to her made her blush like crazy.

"Yeah, me too," she answered absentmindedly, trying not to stare at the opening at his collar where his shirt had shifted.

"Really?" Chad asked sincerely. He moved the blanket off his legs and stood up, stretching. "I was always under the impression that they irritated you."

"No, not really. Unless you get the last word in, I'm usually very happy with our, um, sessions." Sonny smiled up at him and rose to stand.

"Wait, don't get up. I'm just going to the bathroom. I won't leave you, though. I'll be right back." He smiled his trademark smile, which Sonny had missed for what seemed like a looong day, and left the Prop House.

Sonny sat smiling at the coffee table, smiling dumbly at nothing, and pulled out her phone to check the date. Today was the day she had possibly made a breakthrough with Chad's impolite, pompous behavior, and she wanted to commemorate it every year. As she unlocked her phone, she saw the time, which read 6:53 PM. Sonny's thoughts suddenly turned from giddy happiness to guilty terror. The dress rehearsal for that night's show started in seven minutes!

"Crap!" Sonny said out loud. She was about to throw open the door to the Prop House when she remembered Chad, who was going to return to her there. Scribbling him a quick note on the back of an old copy of _Tween Weekly_, Sonny dashed to the sound stage for _So Random! _

-~:~-

Like the run-through, the dress rehearsal ran too long for Sonny's liking. Just as it ended, Sonny threw off her old lady wig and costume and ran to her jeans to find her phone in her pocket. The rational part of her who understood who Chad was kept telling her that he wasn't worth her rushing around, trying to keep him happy, or worth her time, spending every spare minute with him today. But the polar-opposite irrational side told her rational side to shut up and let her enjoy his change in attitude, and that was the side she agreed with.

Sonny's phone had one new text message from Chad on it, which she was relieved to find. It read: "dont worry bout me. :) ill still b here if u come back". Sonny was about to text him back when she heard a man's voice that sent a jolt through her body, waking her from her Chad-stupor.

"…yes, Marshall, it was a very good show. Now, let me go, I've got things to do." Sonny knew that voice well – it belonged to the man who owned her show and the studio she worked at, and who she had to tell about the contract and the kickball game and of who was going to work with Jean-Claude. She swallowed her fear and marched up to him, head held high.

"Mr. Condor?" she said. "Can I speak with you for a moment?"

"Sure, Sonny. How can I help you?" Mr. Condor turned around and gave her a quick smile that she knew was fake.

"Well, I just wanted to ask you about Jean-Claude –"

"Oh, right. Well, he's not going to work with either of the shows," Mr. Condor responded curtly.

For a moment, Sonny was completely at a loss of what to say. Then she found her usual spunk and spoke again. "What?!?"

"No, he wanted to work with _Tween Gladiators_ instead. I guess Roman armor has some kind of appeal over chicken suits or prep school uniforms for him. Sorry! Well, have a nice day, Ms. Munroe." Mr. Condor scooted around her and left the stage.

All Sonny could do was stare after him, dumbfounded. How could Mr. Condor have let them go through all that trouble without telling them that Jean-Claude wasn't working with either show? _That's showbiz, sweetie,_ Chad's voice rang out in her head. Well, he was probably right. Things happened in Hollywood faster than anyone – Chad! Sonny had forgotten all about him once she saw Mr. Condor. She grabbed her things and ran through the stage door, ready to go straight to the Prop house, when she saw a person leaning on a wall in the hallway. When he looked up and saw her, Sonny realized that Chad was walking towards her with a lopsided grin on his face.

"I thought you'd never come out of there," Chad said smoothly. He shoved his hands in his pockets and looked at Sonny through his bangs.

"Uh, I had to sometime, I guess." Sonny couldn't take any more confusion in one day! "Why are you up and, well, here?"

"I figured that maybe moving would make me feel better. And it did," he added, smiling at Sonny with another knowing expression.

"That's great, Chad," Sonny admitted. She may have been looking forward to spending more time with him, but it was probably for the best that they didn't. Feelings could get hurt and intentions mixed up, and Sonny didn't want that kind of drama.

"So, um, I just found out that Jean-Claude isn't working with either of our shows," Sonny said, attempting at small talk.

"I figured Condor would pull something like that. Oh well, nothing we can do, right?" Chad's smile was still on his face as if he hadn't a care in the world.

"Right…Look, Chad, about today –"

"Shh, Sonny. The time for talking is over." Chad chuckled at what he said.

"Really, Chad?"

"Yes, really. I really appreciate what you did for me today. I really liked hanging out with you for a short time without being a jerk to you, and I'd really like if we could do it again. Hopefully, without sneaking around this time," Chad replied, and Sonny was very sure that he was being sincere.

"Chad Dylan Cooper," she said, crossing her arms, "Are you asking me out?"

Chad carefully uncrossed her arms and put them around his neck, then put his arms around her waist. "Only if you want me to."

Suddenly, every potential "moment" Chad and Sonny had ever had together came rushing back to the both of them. When they met, Sonny on the _Falls_, their fake dates, the disastrous prom, and backstage on _Gotcha!_; all of the images and feelings came back to both Chad and Sonny. Everything from this past week caught up with them too, and Sonny finally figured out that, though he could be a jerk sometimes, Chad had a genuinely nice side to him, and Chad found that maybe wearing his heart on his sleeve was a good thing to do sometimes.

"Well then, yeah, I think we should hang out sometime," Sonny whispered, and went up on her tiptoes to give Chad a long-waited kiss.

"Wait, I'm sick, remember?" Chad reminded her.

"…Oh well." With that, Sonny pressed her lips to his and sank into an amazing bliss.

**A/N: Yeah, I didn't particularly like the ending. But if I didn't stop, it never would have ended! And all good, or partially-decent, things must end sometime. Thanks for sticking through till the end, and hopefully there will be more stories coming from me soon! Review if you wanna! Thanks! - littlefish**


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